Which 1956 C.S. Lewis novel concludes the Chronicles of Narnia in publication order?

The Last Battle concludes C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia in publication order. It was published in 1956 as the seventh and final released volume of the series.

The story takes place in Narnia during a period of deception, political upheaval, and religious conflict. A talking donkey named Puzzle is manipulated into impersonating Aslan, while the ape Shift uses the false image to gain power. King Tirian becomes the last major Narnian ruler to resist the scheme.

The novel’s title refers to the final conflict over Narnia’s identity and allegiance. It brings together characters and ideas from earlier books, including the recurring contrast between genuine and counterfeit authority. The conclusion presents the end of the old Narnia and the opening of a deeper, transformed reality.

The Last Battle won the Carnegie Medal in 1957. Some readers encounter it as the seventh book, while others follow the internal chronology and place The Magician’s Nephew first. Those different lists change the reading sequence, not the fact that The Last Battle was the final book published.